Recipe Review from 2/9/15

By the time you read this, I will be wrapping up a long weekend of adventures in Tuscon, AZ!  There are plans to visit Sabino Canyon, a desert Arboretum, and some caves.  A bit of hiking is in the works, some good food will have been eaten, and kicking back and with a glass of wine. 

Which means this was a short week for the Meal Plan:

Sun - (L) Spaghetti with Lemon and Garlic  (S) Slow cooked Pork and Hominy Stew
Mon (yoga) - leftovers
Tues - leftovers
Wed (AM yoga, Vet, head to the Cities)
Thurs- Sun (Husband's on his own!)


Spaghetti with Lemon and Garlic  (Slim and Simple Dishes blog via Pinterest)  vegetarian, gluten free option**
I was bumping around the kitchen and perusing Pinterest at the same time when I stumbled across this recipe.  I needed something for lunch, I had all the ingredients, I didn't want a lot of fuss.  I made this on the spot.  I will note, I halved everything right off the bat - there is only two of us and I didn't have enough ingredients to make leftovers.

This comes together very quickly, so best to have everything mise en place.  I inadvertently added my lemon juice too early and sizzled it off, so the lemon flavor was not as predominate as I would have liked.  You also don't need to cook the garlic for ten minutes.  Mine was ready in about two - it really doesn't take long. You could also add some fresh grated Parmesan or kalmata olives to this for an extra flavor hit. 

A very satisfying lunch.

(Serves 4 to 6)
1 lb spaghettini, angel hair or spaghetti pasta**
6 tablespoons olive oil
8 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
10 oz bag of baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet heat, 6 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes to gently cook the garlic.  Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Immediately add spinach and garlic lemon oil and toss everything together. Mound the pasta on a large platter and serve.



Pork and Hominy Stew  (myrecipes.com via Pinterest)  gluten free as originally written
A fairly quick recipe to assemble, most of the prep in the browning of the meat and the brief saute of the onions.   I did a couple of modifications - I used boneless pork ribs, as I coming round to the opinion that they are about perfect for any kind of slow cooked dish.  After prepping the meat, I tossed it with about 2 tbsp flour.  I wanted my future sauce a bit on the thicker side.  I also added one large red pepper, chopped, for flavor and color, and sauted with the onion and garlic.

I served this with Bob's Red Mill GF cornbread. My favorite corn bread!  YUM! 

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces 

photo from myrecipes.com

I used boneless country pork ribs, cut into 1" pieces

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1 onion, chopped 

1 red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 12-oz. bottle beer 

1 14-oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice 

3 14-oz. cans white hominy, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper (and flour if thickening). Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork, in batches if necessary, browning on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add to slow cooker and drain off all but 1 Tbsp. fat.

 Add onion, chili powder and garlic to skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 minutes. Stir in beer and cook for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add mixture to slow cooker.

Add tomatoes to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until meat is just tender, about 6 hours. Stir in hominy and oregano and cook 1 hour more. Remove pork from pot with tongs. When cool enough to handle, shred pork. Skim fat from top of broth, stir in shredded pork, and serve.